Archaeologists find stunning Mayan sculpture

GUATEMALA

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have found an ‘‘extraordinary’’ Mayan frieze richly decorated with images of deities and rulers and a long dedicatory inscription.

The frieze was discovered by Guatemalan archaeologist Francisco EstradaBelli, a professor at Tulane University’s Anthropology Department, and his team in the northern Province of Peten, the government said in a joint statement with Estrada-Belli.

‘‘This is an extraordinary finding that occurs only once in the life of an archaeologist,’’ Estrada-Belli said.

The archaeologists were exploring a Mayan pyramid that dates to AD600 in an area that is home to other classic ruin sites when they came upon the frieze.

‘‘It’s a great work of art that also gives us a lot of information on the role and significance of the building, which was the focus of our research.’’

The high-relief stucco sculpture, which measures 8 metres by 2 metres, includes three main characters wearing rich ornaments of quetzal feathers and jade sitting on the heads of monsters.

The frieze, which was found in July, depicts the image of gods and godlike rulers and gives their names.

The dedicatory inscription ‘‘opens a window on a very important phase in the history of the classical period’’, Estrada-Belli said.

The inscription is composed of 30 glyphs in a band at the base of the structure. The text, which was difficult to read, was deciphered by Alex Tokovin- ine, an epigraphist at Harvard University and contributor to the research project at Holmul, where the frieze was found.

Tokovinine said the building was commissioned by Ajwosaj, king of the neighbouring city-state of Naranjo, and vassal of the powerful Kaanul dynasty, the statement said.

David Stuart, an expert in Mayan epigraphy at the University of Texas at Austin, called Tokovinine’s reading of the text ‘‘excellent’’.

But while the government statement called it ‘‘the most spectacular frieze seen to date’’, Stuart was cautious about using superlatives.

‘‘It’s really impressive,’’ he said. ‘‘I certainly wouldn’t say this is the ‘most spectacular’ temple facade.’’